The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Next Level Trails (NLT), and Hoosier Mountain Bike Association (HMBA) held an official opening and ribbon cutting of the newly completed West Gate and Gnawbone trails in Brown County State Park on Oct. 7.
“The trails at Brown County State Park attract visitors from all across the state and country,” DNR Director Dan Bortner said in a press release.
“These two new trails will provide additional mountain biking opportunities for locals and trail tourists alike.”
The trails were the last two of four new trails at the state park constructed with a $200,000 NLT grant awarded to HMBA in May 2019.
The grant previously funded the Weed Patch and Limekiln East trails. In total, the grant has helped fund development of around 7.5 miles of new mountain bike trail to complete the renowned trail system.
Work supported by the grant has also improved connectivity between existing trails and park amenities, including the campground, nature center, fire tower, and Hesitation Point.
The roughly mile-long, beginner-friendly West Gate Trail provides a critical connection between the Weed Patch, Bobcat and Hesitation Point trails.
The Gnawbone Trail, a 1.3-mile downhill-only trail, can be accessed from the West Gate Trail. The Gnawbone Trail provides an alternative to the Hobbs Hollow and Hesitation Point trails for intermediate and expert riders to further access the park’s 35-mile-plus mountain bike trail system.
As part of Gov. Eric J. Holcomb’s Next Level Connections initiative, NLT is the largest infusion of trails funding in state history.
The $150 million program is administered by the DNR and facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. Including this project, 11 of the 73 NLT projects are complete, totaling 37.8 miles of trail.
For more information about the NLT program visit on.IN.gov/NextLevelTrails.
Mountain bike trails in Brown County State Park are multi-use and are open to hiking and trail running as well as bicycling. Riders should obtain a $5 daily or $20 annual off-road cycling pass before using park mountain bike trails.
For more information about Brown County State Park visit on.IN.gov/BrownCountysp.
